Overhead view of part of Venice, California, with the Lion Canal in the foreground and the Grand Canal running through the center and on to the right. Between the two canals is the Cosmos Club and across the Grand Canal is a boathouse.

To meet the need for water of its growing population, the City of Los Angeles began acquiring water rights in the Owens Valley in 1905. The Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed in 1913 to bring Owens Valley water to the city. During the 1920s, the...

A carbon copy of a typewritten letter, criticizing the usually smug, negative tone of Catholic periodicals of the time, commending an article written by McDonald in the Catholic newspaper, Commonweal, and calling for social reconstruction based on...

A view of the Venice Miniature Railway at Windward Ave., featuring its number two train on the rail. A sign strung between buildings above Windward Avenue reads "Venice", and the Ocean Park Bank is visible on the right, a partially obscured...

A view of Windward Avenue looking East towards the Lagoon. Parked automobiles line the street, some of them double parked. In the foreground, a crowd of people fill the street, some of them seated, looking towards the West (towards the ocean and...

A daytime view from Pier Avenue at Hermosa Avenue in Hermosa Beach, California, looking towards the ocean. There are several small shops and a hotel along the street, and at the end of the block is the entrance to a pier. A flagpole stands in the...

View of the Grand Canal in Venice, California looking towards the east. Tourists in early 20th century style clothing ride in two gondolas poled by gondoliers in traditional Italian dress. On the right of the canal are a row of small bungalows. ...

View of the Aldebaran Canal in Venice, California looking towards the northeast. Tourists dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in a gondola. The gondola is adorned with an American flag and a lantern. Small boats and canoes are on...

View of the Aldebaran Canal, Venice, California looking towards the northeast. Tourists dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in a gondola. The gondola is adorned with a lantern. Small boats, canoes and a second gondola are on the...

View of the Grand Lagoon in Venice, California looking towards the east. Tourists dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in two gondolas in the lagoon. One gondola is adorned with a canopy and a lantern. The Race thru the Clouds Roller...

View of the Grand Lagoon, Venice, California looking towards the northeast. Two arched footbridges cross the canals. Numerous two storey dwellings are situated along the canals. People dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in a small...

View of the grand lagoon in Venice, California, looking towards the northeast. Tourists dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in a gondola on the lagoon. The gondola is adorned with an American flag and a lantern. Small boats and...

A navy-tinted image of the bathing lake in Venice California looking towards the west. Tourists are seen swimming in the water and climbing onto a boat. The Venice grandstand appears in the background. On the right side of the image are the Bath...

Tourists dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in a gondola on the Grand Canal in Venice, California. The gondola is adorned with an American flag and a lantern. Small boats and canoes are on the same canal in the background. A...

A view of Venice, California showing the lagoon and Coral Canal looking towards the northwest. Tourists dressed in early 20th century style clothing ride in canoes and small boats on the lagoon. The Venice Union Church appears on the left side of...